ep 7 of 'If': Passion Play *complete*
by randibaby
Summary: Easter special for 'If' (ala Frank Peretti)
1. Passion Play

Passion Play: Episode 7 of "If We Had Never Met"  
  
Author's warning: This ep continues in the canon of 'cAtatonic' and probably  
does not follow classic SaMK canon. Intended for a Christian audience.   
Ya know it's AU.   
  
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King belong to Shoot the Moon Productions   
and Warner Brothers and I'm making absolutely no money for this writing   
but I am enjoying myself immensely! Ideas were taken from "The Khruschev   
List" written by Lee Maddux and also from the Bible written by God.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Act 1: Passion Play  
Setting: Several days ago in Jerusalem...  
  
  
  
"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I   
do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I   
prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy." (Psalms 137:5-6)   
  
  
  
  
Aaron Bergman's eyes wandered off the printed page and out beyond the window  
of his study. The flood-lit gilded Dome of the Rock towered over the city in  
the distance. He marveled at how the Dome always glimmered like a jewel but   
especially so tonight when illuminated against the black velvet sky.  
  
With a sigh, Aaron squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples. His mind   
was filled with great concern for his beloved city Jerusalem. There had been  
so many innocent people killed recently by merciless suicide bombers.  
  
In an attempt to regain concentration for the task at hand, Aaron moved his  
head from side to side and shrugged his shoulders. He was supposed to be   
preparing excerpts from the Torah for his family's upcoming Seder meal. As   
cantor, he was expected to lead his family in this traditional feast which  
celebrated G-d's deliverance of the children of Israel from Pharoh's wrath.  
  
His study however had strayed from the Passover passages in Exodus and   
wandered over to the passion filled pages of the Psalmist. Aaron marveled at   
the intensity and sincerity of those scriptures. He nodded his head silently,  
and whispered to himself and G-d, 'No, we must not forget or forsake   
Jerusalem'. If called upon, Aaron would defend his city to the end.   
  
As he pondered the upcoming holiday, Aaron prayed his family would safely   
celebrate Pesach this year despite the current tensions. Going to the   
marketplace to prepare for Shabbot was trying enough every week. With the   
holiday coming so soon he was concerned that there would be more opportunity  
for misguided evildoers to kill innocent victims at the crowded marketplace.   
  
  
"Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!"  
  
  
Aaron's thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like a distressd animal  
howling outside the window of his study. With heart racing, Aaron stood up  
from his desk and walked over to close the open window. The balmy evening   
air brushed his face. He stuck his head out the window and strained to   
listen. He didn't hear any more moaning.  
  
With a firm shove, he shut the window and silenced any further offending   
noise. 'Oy vay!' he muttered. He just couldn't imagine that there were still  
wild animals roaming his part of town.   
  
If only he had known that it wasn't the howling of an animal he had heard   
echoing in the darkness.....  
  
***  
  
  
"Pleeease! Please! Doogie!" Sherina screamed as a hooded pro-Taliban fighter  
grabbed her by the hair, "Don't let them kill me!"  
  
Doogie Anderson struggled to free himself from the grip of his captors. Two  
very large men flanked him on either side. It was hopeless, he was no match  
for their strength. They tightened their grip on his arms and howled at his  
feeble attempts to free himself. They kicked his legs out from under him and  
cheered as he helplessly watched the hooded zealot slap his lover and drag her  
off into a darkened alley.   
  
Mosama, the cunning leader of this particular terrorist cell smiled approvingly   
at the scene playing out before him. He strode over to face Anderson. The   
brutal killer leered into Anderson's eyes and spat out, "Give us who we  
want or she's dead!"  
  
Doogie glanced at the Dome in the distance and thought, 'These men abuse   
the name of Allah...' A slap to his face quickly brought his attention  
back to his attacker. Evil incarnate. That's all Anderson could  
think of as he stared into Mosama's black, spiritless eyes. The man before  
him showed no mercy, no compassion. Mosama was absolutely heartless.  
  
"Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!"  
  
Anderson's head shot up when he heard Sherina's haunting cry from the alley.  
He could hear her captor laugh wickedly as he prepared to shoot her...  
execution style.  
  
"Look!" Anderson pleaded with Mosama, "I'll do anything! Anything you want!   
Just please, please let her go, she's innocent..."  
  
A ruthless smile spread across Mosama's countenance. He put his face two   
inches from Doogie's and hissed, "You *know* who we want. Your archetype."  
  
Doogie nodded and struggled to fight back the dread he felt in betraying  
his mentor, "Yes, yes. I'll bring you Harry...Thornton."  
  
*******  
  
  
Act 2: Palm Sunday  
Setting: Dr. McJohn's office at Galilee General  
  
"Doctor..."  
  
McJohn glanced up briefly at the desk nurse currently on duty. He   
looked back down at his report and said "Yes Cathy, what is it?" He really  
needed to hurry if he was going to keep his next 'appointment'.  
  
"I need some clarification sir..."  
  
McJohn glanced up again trying not to show his irritation. "Yes?"  
  
"Regarding the Stetson file...." Cathy thought for sure the good doctor had   
temporarily lost his mind.  
  
"Okay?" McJohn's limited patience was running thin.  
  
"The last entry states 'Miraculous recovery. There is no scientific rationale  
for Mrs. Stetson's recuperation. Her total healing is a miracle.' "  
  
McJohn grinned.  
  
Nurse Cathy continued, "Doctor, I don't think her PPO is going to cover   
that..."  
  
***  
  
McJohn nodded his head and smiled as he drove to his next 'appointment'.  
Who ever would have thought he would be going where he was going? It felt   
good to be keeping this promise though. He hadn't been to church in  
a long time.....  
  
***  
  
  
Jeanie Melrose couldn't stop smiling. Many of her church friends mentioned   
that they hadn't seen her this happy since before Billy had gone on to be   
with the Lord. How could she not be happy? A very nervous couple sitting   
next to her was the cause...  
  
Lee sat next to Jeanie and gulped as he glanced around. He was constantly  
assessing his surroundings. He had *never* been in church before and was  
a bit apprehensive. Everyone appeared normal from what he could tell. Even  
the pastor looked like an ordinary man. Lee was surprised, the pastor's   
wife was actually beautiful and seemed intelligent. He had expected church  
people to be weak and 'losers'. He had to admit he was pleasantly surprised.  
  
"Are you two doin' okay?" Jeannie leaned over and whispered to her guests.  
  
Lee and Amanda looked at each other before both turning and nodding at Jeanie.   
  
'Liars!' Jeanie thought. She just hoped the usual liberty of Spirit (as in  
Holy) experienced at her church wouldn't scare them away.   
  
  
  
All three looked up as they heard, "Excuse me, excuse me."   
  
Dr. McJohn made his way down the pew toward Jeanie and nodded a 'hello' to   
everyone.  
  
Lee was glad the doctor sat down next to him. The two men shared an   
understanding look.   
  
Amanda smiled while watching the interaction between the two men. Both had   
seen many things in their day. 'But nothing like this!' Amanda mused...  
  
"HALLELUJAH!" Jeanie's pastor yelled. "God is so good today! Please stand  
up and greet the person next to you!"  
  
Lee stood up and whispered in Amanda's ear, "That diamond cross necklace  
really looks great on you."  
  
Amanda lovingly touched the pendant around her neck. She then looked up   
into her husband's tender eyes and teased, "Someone very special gave it to  
me."   
  
"Boyfriend?" Lee jibed back.  
  
Amanda raised her brow, "Sorry buster, I'm married."  
  
"Lucky man!" Lee teased as Amanda smiled.  
  
Of course Lee had given Amanda the necklace as a gift to honor the One Who  
had brought her from death to life. As they sat down, he kissed her brow  
and put his arm around her shoulder.  
  
"Please be seated." Pastor Loomis began, "I'd like to introduce our guest  
speaker Harry Kukow, a missionary to China. Harry has brought his lovely   
wife and their little adopted daughter Lili..."  
  
The service was ready to begin. After awesome praise and worship, Lee  
listened intently while Harry Kukow preached his message. Lee had never heard  
anything so glorious in all his life.  
  
*******  
  
  
Pyang! Pweyang!  
  
"How'd I get caught up in this mess?" Harry wondered as his pro-Taliban  
captor led him through Palestinian sniper fire. "Anderson's gonna hear from  
me! Once I figure a way to get outta here."   
  
Shackles could be so cumbersome!  
  
  
***  
  
Christina hurried past the King David Hotel where she and Harry had   
checked in only yesterday. She had seen Harry's warning, a red flower pot  
placed prominently on the windowsill of their room.  
  
Christina Golitsyn Thornton looked around and made sure no one was following  
her. She wondered,'How could the man I married get into trouble already?   
Doesn't he know he's well past retired?' She shook her head in frustration  
and made her way through the crowd milling along the street. She had to   
find a safe place to make a call.   
  
As she meandered through the market, Christina wondered how she would find  
Anderson. Doogie Anderson had been their entire reason for traveling to the  
Holy Land. He was also the last person to see Harry that morning.  
  
Christina prayed they were both still alive.  
  
*****  
  
Francine rolled her eyes, why was the Jerusalem office calling?  
  
"This is my day off...I don't know how you'll....Listen!...You've got to...  
We *can't* spare another man!...What?"  
  
Beamon looked over at his lover and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.  
He knew it had to be serious if Francine was getting a call at home on a   
Sunday.  
  
Francine spoke into the receiver, "You've got to be kidding! Scarecrow  
hasn't done anything like this for years!...Who?...Did you say Harry   
Thornton? Lee will be right there!"  
  
Francine held her breath as she hung up the phone. She hoped she could keep  
her word. Now to get a hold of Lee...  
  
*****  
  
Harry sat down on the rocky earth gasping for breath. He hollered at his   
captor, "Hey! Buddy! It's a bit difficult to run with these cuffs on...  
Unh!"  
  
The rebel snickered as he saw blood start to flow from where he had hit Harry  
on the temple with the butt of his gun. The young guerilla said something  
in an Arabic dialect Harry did not understand. Harry gave the kid a disgusted   
look and hoped Christina was alright. 'Babe, I hope you can find me...'   
  
*****  
  
  
"You're a beautiful Sa-------vior!  
  
A Wonderful Coun--------selor!  
  
Clothed in majesty, Lord of history,  
You're the Way, the Truth, the Life!"  
  
Amanda turned and smiled as her husband sang at the top of his lungs all  
the way home from church.   
  
Lee had never felt so free! So alive! He was so glad they had both answered  
the altar call at the end of the service. They both had made a public   
declaration of their commitment to their Savior.   
  
  
"Wow!" Lee said when they finally pulled into their drive.  
  
"Yep!" Amanda had enjoyed the service too. The missionary's testimony  
had really made an impression. Harry Kukow had described what it was like   
to walk the streets of China. He described how he had felt like a man with  
fresh bread piled in his arms walking past the starving people of China.  
He longed to give them the Living bread.  
  
Her recollection of the service at Jeanie's church was interrupted when Lee  
opened her passenger side door and helped her out of the car. He placed  
his hand on the small of her back and led Amanda to the house.  
  
As soon as Amanda opened the front door, Lee swept his wife into his  
embrace. "Amanda, this is one of the best days of my life!"  
  
She answered back with a passionate kiss, "Of our life!"  
  
Lee smiled down into his wife's face, "Yes, and I've got a surprise for  
you!" Lee had a suspicious twinkle in his eyes.  
  
Amanda raised an eyebrow and tried to stifle a smile, "What?"  
  
Lee kissed Amanda on the forehead and led her to the family room. He was   
about to enfold his wife in his arms when he noticed the light blinking  
on the answering machine.  
  
He was expecting a call from Harry Kukow. He had caught Harry at the end   
of the service and the two men discussed getting together later that day to   
dicuss adoption. That was Amanda's surprise.  
  
Lee walked over to play the message.  
  
"Lee, this is Francine. Oh! Hi...Amanda. Anyway! Lee, I need you to call  
me at home right away. It's about your mentor, Ha...."  
  
Lee didn't need to hear anymore. He snatched up the phone and dialed Francine's  
home number.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"It's Scarecrow."  
  
"Lee! It's about time! Where have you been? Look, you two need to get   
over to Ronald Reagan airport ASAP. I have two tickets at the desk waiting  
for you."  
  
"What?" Lee shot Amanda a concerned look.   
  
"Lee, I don't have time to explain right now. Harry's gotten entangled in a  
some kind of passion play..."  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Amanda wondered who 'Harry' was, there was still so much she didn't know   
about her husband. All she did know about Harry was that he must be pretty  
special for that worried look to plant itself on Lee's face.  
  
Lee looked up at Amanda and brushed her chin with his fingertips as he held  
the phone with his other hand up to his ear.  
  
Francine continued, "Lee, I'm sorry you don't have time to pack but I need  
you both to catch the 747 leaving in two hours..."  
  
"Francine, where are we going?"  
  
"Israel"  
  
  
tbc 


	2. Found and Lost

Chapter 2: Found and Lost  
  
  
Lee and Amanda finally settled into their seats on the 747 bound for   
Tel Aviv. Their ultimate destination...Jerusalem. All Francine had had   
time to tell Lee was that Harry Thornton had wound up as a pawn in   
Anderson's play of passion.   
  
Lee called Francine from the plane's cell phone.  
  
"Francine?"  
  
"Lee? Our connection isn't so good..."  
  
"We're still on the runway Francine..." Lee glanced at Amanda and   
rollled his eyes. "So what else can you tell us about our mission?"  
  
"Well, first off, Anderson has turned himself in..."  
  
"Anderson? You're not talking about Doogie?" Lee and Doogie had been   
recruited for the Agency at the same time and had been young hotshots   
trained together by none other than Harry Thornton.  
  
Francine didn't want to tell Lee about the fall of a man  
he had always admired. "Yes, the one and only. Lee, Anderson wasn't   
burned out, he was duped. He brought himself in to the Israeli authorities  
today and confessed that he traded Harry to a pro-Taliban cell in order to   
free some woman he was involved with. Turns out she was part of their scheme   
all along."  
  
Lee asked, "Why Harry?"  
  
Francine continuted, "This group is under the impression that Harry holds   
the key to some special vault under the Dome of the Rock. You know it's been  
rumored for years that a few small nuclear warheads were concealed in a cave  
under the Dome in the 1950's."  
  
"Yeah, I've heard of that."  
  
"Harry happens to be the only living member of the Tripartite, an   
undercover group formed in 1950 by the Western Allies to assist Israel in   
building it's arms despite the treaty by the same name. These al-Qaida   
sympathizers are under the mistaken idea that Harry knows where the   
vault is and will help them obtain these weapons of mass desctruction."  
  
"Harry will never help them Francine!"  
  
Francine continued, "I know Lee. Harry's good enough to stall them for a   
few days but... we need you to find and rescue him. And find Christina. She  
must be hiding out somewhere in Jerusalem. There's been no contact with her   
since she first alerted the Agency that her husband was missing."  
  
Lee looked over at Amanda and wondered how Christina must be handling a   
time like this. Because of Amanda, he finally knew how it felt to love. He  
had seen how Christina loved Harry.  
  
"Anyway Lee, Anderson is in protective custody now. He should be quite   
co-operative. You'll be interrogating him first thing when you arrive in  
Jerusalem."   
  
After they said their goodbyes, Lee put the cell phone back in it's   
holster in the seatback in front of him. He just couldn't understand it.   
Harry had treated them like sons. Doogie was only a year or two older than  
Lee and Lee had always thought of him like an older brother.  
  
Now to hear that Doogie had literally sold their mentor out. "It just can't   
be..."  
  
Amanda looked up into her husband's face. A look of pain and dismay   
flashed in his eyes. 'He's been through so much hurt in his life',   
Amanda thought as she reached over and took Lee's arm. She  
was so glad they had been teamed up for this mission. Lee was going to   
need her.   
  
Lee felt his wife's gentle fingers encircle his own. He was so thankful   
to have Amanda by his side. He grabbed her hand, kissed her fingertips,   
and was about to lean over to gaze into her compassionate brown eyes when  
he heard....  
  
  
"Lee baby!"  
  
Lee's head shot up and his eyes widened when he saw a familiar body,   
uh, woman approach. He had met her on a previous trip overseas. Not wanting  
any further interaction, Lee looked down at... nothing. He began to study   
the fabric of his pants as the unwelcome voice came closer.   
  
"Hi there Lee baby!"  
  
Amanda decided not to look over at her husband's red face. Instead she   
stared straight ahead. It was difficult for her not to notice the approaching   
woman. She was a young, buxom, auburn haired stewardess from first class.  
  
The woman walked up toward Lee and totally ignored Amanda. In fact, she   
bent over Amanda to lean in closer to Lee. Amanda was forced to take a   
really close look at the tart's name tag. 'Missi' was her name.   
  
'Red hair!' Amanda fumed. "Couldn't be more than half my age," she uttered   
under her breath.  
  
"Ah, a-huh" Lee said as he forced a smile and glanced past Missi's   
tresses. He couldn't quite see his wife through all the Clairol.   
  
"Uh Missi! I'd, uh, like you to meet my *wife*. Amanda?"  
  
Finally Melissa, or Missi as her friends called her, moved to appraise   
the woman Lee called his wife. "Hmph! How domestic!" She scoffed as she   
flounced back down the aisle toward first class.  
  
"Pippi!" slipped out under Amanda's breath.   
  
  
  
Lee glanced over at his wife. 'Should I say something?' he   
wondered. He saw Amanda tilt her head and take great interest in the   
airline's magazine. It was dated 2001. He noticed she wasn't smiling.   
  
"Um Amanda?" Lee leaned over to try to catch his wife's attention.   
  
Amanda turned her head away from Lee and flicked the magazine as if to read  
it better.  
  
"Uh, she was nothing, really..."  
  
"Hmm?" Amanda feigned disinterest and didn't once look up from her   
magazine.  
  
After a few moments of awkward silence, Lee sat staring at his wife's   
down turned face.  
  
Amanda could feel her husband staring at her. 'No! no way! I'm not   
giving in!' she thought. But Lee just kept staring.  
  
"Amanda?"  
  
She finally looked up from her magazine but not toward Lee.  
  
"Did anyone ever tell you, you have a cute..."  
  
"Don't even go there buster!" Amanda replied with a sideways glance at   
her husband. "Flattery will get you...no where!"  
  
Lee gulped as he sat back in his seat. This was gonna be a loooooong   
plane ride!  
  
***  
  
Once they arrived in Tel Aviv and rented a car, Lee drove them to the   
American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem. They checked in and Amanda had to  
admit she was impressed. The place had character. It had once been a   
palace for a Turkish Pasha.  
  
As soon as Lee and Amanda settled in their room and freshened up, they   
took off for the US Embassy. That's where Anderson was being held.   
"Amanda, we may need to play good cop, bad cop. Just depends on how loose  
Doogie's lips will be."   
  
Amanda nodded as Lee guided his wife into the interrogation room.  
  
Anderson sat there, looking dejected. From the smoke filled room, Lee   
guessed the guy had already smoked about two packs since breakfast.   
That was only an hour ago. Lee recalled that they had been  
the only two in their class that didn't smoke.  
  
"Doogie?" Lee barely recognized his old friend. He looked like hell.  
  
Anderson slowly turned his blood shot eyes toward Lee. He couldn't   
believe it. "Lee?"  
  
Both men stood together and embraced.   
  
Doogie marveled, "Lee, it's been so long!"  
  
"Yeah. Doog, seems like you're in a lot of trouble." Lee was getting   
angry now, "Selling out Harry? What were you thinking man?"  
  
Reunion time was over.  
  
Anderson slumped back down in his wooden chair and lit another   
cigarette.  
  
"Umm! Hehm!" Amanda attempted unsuccessfully to stifle a cough.  
  
"Who's the broad?" Anderson quipped as he nodded toward Amanda.   
  
Lee put both hands on the table and leaned over Doogie. "That *broad*   
is *my wife*!"  
  
You could have knocked Doogie over with a feather. "Lee married? Now I   
know I've seen everything!"  
  
"Let's cut the chit chat Doog! Now tell me what's goin' on here!"  
  
Anderson told Lee all about Sherina, the lover that had duped him. "I   
was flatterd Lee. Sherina was young, vivacious. It was so humiliating.   
Once I had secured her 'release' by bringing Harry to her captors, she just  
laughed and mocked me. She asked me how I could think she seriously cared   
about me..." Anderson broke down in pitiful sobs.  
  
"C'mon man! The girl was half your age!" Lee fumed.  
  
Amanda shot her husband a *look*.   
  
Lee glanced at his wife and raised his brow like 'What? I didn't say   
anything?'  
  
Amanda rolled her eyes, 'Oh Puhlease!'  
  
"Lee, I was smitten. I didn't know it was a trap to catch Harry. I had   
never heard of the Tripartite or of nuclear warheads hidden under the   
Dome. Anyways, I wasn't thinkin' straight. Sherina had me  
spellbound. If you had seen or heard the way they were torturing   
her..."  
  
"Pretended to torture her!" Lee corrected.  
  
"Yeah, well...You know we've always had a close relationship with Harry.   
So when they said they'd release Sherina for Harry...I just lost it. I   
didn't want her to die and I figured Harry was so old and he  
had lived a good life it wouldn't matter if they had him. Of course Harry  
came without hesitation when I called under false pretenses..."  
  
"Doog! You make me sick! Selling out Harry for some fling!"  
  
"I didn't know she was a fling! Lee, I'm...I'm still in love with   
her."  
  
Lee threw up his hands in exasperation. "Where's Harry now?"  
  
Doogie looked up at his old friend and swallowed hard. He   
noted that life was being kind to Stetson now. He looked good, had a   
beautiful wife.  
  
"Doog!"  
  
"I don't know *where* he is Lee. But, I'm determined to help you. This   
is the place where I dropped Harry off for the 'trade'." Doogie   
drew out a crude map of Old Jerusalem and gave Lee all the information  
he could.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Lee ran his hand through his hair as he watched the guard escort Doogie  
Anderson back to his cell. He was glad the interrogation was over. He took  
Amanda's hand as they left the US Embassy and headed back to their hotel on  
foot.   
  
As they walked, Lee pulled out an old photo of Christina to show Amanda.   
"This is the lady we've got to find next. It's dated but it's a good   
picture of Harry's wife."  
  
Amanda nodded. The woman was beautiful.  
  
Lee looked up from the picture and glanced around as they continued down the  
street. He spotted several undercover Israeli agents mingling in with the   
crowd on the street. Despite the pervading tensions, many pilgrims had made  
the journey to the Holy City. Walking traffic was shoulder to shoulder.  
  
Lee was impressed. The Israeli government seemed prepared for any sudden  
attack.  
  
His attention turned to Amanda as they approached a crosswalk. Lee slipped  
his hand to the small of his wife's back to guide her across the street as  
they bustled along with several mothers and their children.   
  
Amanda smiled at Lee's touch. The gentle pressure on her back was reassuring  
because she knew she was always safe with Lee.  
  
As they reached the other side of the street, Lee heard a scuffle break   
out behind them.  
  
"Get out of my way!" Someone yelled.  
  
Lee was in agent mode now. He turned his head while reaching to   
unholster his gun. Before he could make another move, a crowd of people   
pushed Amanda away from his side and obscured her from his  
view. Lee turned to yell for his wife when a solid punch to his kidneys   
left him doubled over. As Lee fell to his knees, he saw a fist heading for  
his face.  
  
Blackout.  
  
  
Amanda struggled to scramble through the crowd, back to her husband's   
side. The ebb of the crowd pushed her farther and farther down the   
street. "Lee!" she yelled with concern in her voice. "Lee!"  
  
Even though Lee was a tall man, Amanda couldn't see his head over the crowd.   
She was starting to worry. "Lee!"  
  
Suddenly a cool, soft hand grabbed her from behind and pulled her into   
the doorway of a small cafe.  
  
"Oh!" Amanda was shocked. She was face to face with Christina Thornton.  
  
tbc 


	3. And at midnight...

Act 3: And at midnight......  
  
Amanda was momentarily speechless as Christina grabbed her arm and  
pulled her further inside the little cafe. Several patrons looked   
up from their warm cups and conversations and watched the two women   
contend quietly with each other. The place was filled with many residents  
relaxing before the last minute rush to prepare for tomorrow's Seder meal.  
  
Amanda resisted as Christina led her toward the back of the room to a   
table surrounded by some greenery. She leaned to go back toward the front  
door and cried out "Christina! Let go! I was just on my way to find Lee!"   
  
Christina gave Amanda a stern but compassionate warning, "No. You will stay   
here. Amanda, I saw those Hezbollah extremists grab Lee and carry him off."  
  
Aaron Bergman popped his head over the plants hiding him from their view and  
nearly caused both women to stumble.  
  
Amanda caught her breath as Christina leaned in closer and whispered,  
"Let's find a better place to talk."   
  
Amanda nodded in agreement when a kind male voice said, "You ladies  
are welcome to come over to my place." Aaron smiled. He would do pretty  
much anything to protect his homeland and anyone else against terrorists.  
Especially Hamas or Hezbolah extremists.  
  
As both women stared in wonder Aaron continued, "You're American, right?"  
  
Christina shot a look at Amanda before saying, "Thank you but no sir." As  
she once again grabbed Amanda's arm and propelled her toward the front door,  
she explained, "We were just on our way..."  
  
Before Christina could say "out", two frightening men rushed into the cafe.  
They appeared to be on a womanhunt. Christina swallowed hard, she recognized  
them as the ones who had assisted the terrorists in grabbing Lee.  
  
"Amanda! We must get out of here!" Christina whispered. In a panic, she  
looked around the room but saw no means of escape. Aaron quickly grabbed  
both ladies by the hand and pulled them toward the restrooms. There was a   
small hallway past the men's room which led to a backdoor. Once outside,  
they began running down the back alley.  
  
Breathless, Aaron pleaded, "Please, please come stay with my family! Everyone  
is coming over for the Seder meal tomorrow! I will tell everyone that you   
are my long lost American cousins..."  
  
Christina blurted out "But I'm Russian!"  
  
***  
  
  
  
The barrel of a gun. That's the sight that greeted Lee Stetson when he   
came to. Despite the wake up call, Lee slowly reached up and felt his nose.  
Broken? No, but man was it bruised!  
  
"Look, pal..." Lee's throaty voice scratched out.  
  
"Shut up! You will listen to me!" shouted the young gunman. "Lay down!  
On your face!"  
  
Lee glanced down and noticed his revolver was gone. There was no use in   
arguing so Lee laid down on his stomach. He watched as another pair of dusty  
boots walked by his face.   
  
"Hamad!" 'Dusty boots' said, "This man is no threat anymore. Kill him!"  
  
Lee watched as 'Dusty boots' strode away and was about to spring up to his   
feet and fight off the gunman when he heard the click of a trigger.   
  
And another click. And another.  
  
Nothing. Nada. Nyet. Nien. No bullet. No smoke.   
  
Lee stood up, staring at the shocked young man. The petrified extremist   
dropped his gun and stared open-mouthed at the American. As he scampered   
away, Lee slowly reached over for the gun. The bullets were still in it.  
  
Lee's heart skipped a beat and he looked up toward heaven. Before he could   
get out a 'thank you', he was knocked out by a blow from behind.  
  
  
***   
  
"Ahhhh, my good friend....." Mosama mumured in Harry's ear. "Are you ready   
to tell us where the vault is?"  
  
Blindfolded and bound, Harry shivered as the brute's chilling breath hit the  
back of his neck.  
  
"Look, it's been over 50 years! I'm gonna need a map! I can't remem..."  
  
THWAP!  
  
The slap snapped Harry's head back. He didn't know how much longer he could   
take this. 'Christina, find me!' he prayed silently to himself.  
  
Mosama noted the old man was breaking down, wasn't as saucy as before, or as   
resistant. 'Good!' he thought, 'It won't be long till we have what we want.'  
  
***  
  
Cold. Darkness. Lee attempted to feel for his surroundings but his hands and  
feet were bound. He had quite a headache. He had been beaten. Tortured   
really. Conventional attempts by his attackers to kill him had been miraculously  
thwarted but Lee was exhausted. They had punched him, kicked him. What   
hadn't they done? The extremists simply wanted him out of the way but God   
had other plans.  
  
Lee leaned up on his elbow. Every muscle hurt. "This is worse than football"  
he moaned. His attention was captivated by brilliant stars shining in the  
high window over his head. 'Must be late in the evening. I wonder how Amanda  
is...'  
  
Lee rolled over and positioned himself to lean up against the cold walls of  
his cell. Solid. The walls were definitely solid. No way to lockpick his  
way out of this baby! Lee struggled to rise to his feet but his legs  
wouldn't hold him.  
  
As he fell back down, his eyes moistened. 'I hope they didn't get Amanda.   
She's probably scared to..' Lee couldn't even finish that thought.   
"No, gotta look on the bright side." he said aloud.   
  
The gunman standing guard outside Lee's cell door turned around and shot a   
look through the barred window and he yelled, "SHUT UP!"  
  
Lee curled his lip but held his tongue. (God must be doing a new work in him!).  
He turned his face again toward the night sky. 'I wonder where Harry is.'  
Lee hadn't seen his mentor yet.  
  
***  
  
  
Amanda stared out into the night sky. Aaron Bergman and his family were  
very generous hosts. She looked at the soft bed and fluffy pillows and  
wondered, 'Is Lee even alive?' She could hear Christina getting ready for  
bed in the bathroom next to her room. 'And what about Harry?'  
  
Suddenly, Amanda felt what seemed like birthpangs. "What in the world?"  
She had the strongest urge to pray. Amanda fell to her knees and grabbed   
the compact Bible she had had in her purse. Lee had given her the new  
Bible along with her lovely diamond cross pendant after God's supernatural  
intervention several weeks ago.   
  
  
"Oh!" Amanda grimaced as she leaned over. She had no idea what was going  
on but she knew she needed to pray. She wasn't sure where to start so she  
whispered, "God, show me...please..."   
  
Immediately she opened her Bible and a verse jumped out. Proverbs 18:10.  
She started to read..."The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous  
run into it and they are safe..."  
  
  
***  
  
Safe. Lee smiled. He actually felt safe. He knew he was secure in God. He  
looked out the high window again. From the position of the almost full moon,  
Lee guessed it was about midnight.   
  
Lee's smile widened as he thought about a message he had heard on the radio.  
Something about Paul and Silas being unjustly imprisoned and beaten and that  
'at around midnight' they sang praises to God.   
  
Lee shook his head and chuckled. Never in a million years could you have   
convinced him that he would believe in God. The one true God. Lee cleared  
his throat and started to softly sing.........  
  
tbc 


	4. Exodus

Act 4: Exodus  
  
Jeanie Melrose stretched out her arms as she rolled over in her bed and  
reached over to turn on her bedside lamp. It was the middle of the night but,  
for some reason, she felt restless and unsettled. A mellow glow filled her  
room when she flipped on the switch. As her eyes squinted to adjust to  
the brightness, she asked, "What is it Lord?"  
  
A burden for Lee and Amanda Stetson burned in her heart. She grabbed her   
Bible off the nightstand, slipped out from under the covers and kneeled next  
to her bed. "Alright Lord...."  
  
***  
  
"Ah-man-duh", Lee groaned as someone persistently poked his side. "Just give  
me five more min...." Lee's voice halted and his eyes suddenly widened.   
  
"Oh", Lee uttered as he realized where he *wasn't*. He slowly looked up to   
determine who had been poking him.  
  
A large stoic man towered over him and grabbed him by the elbow in order  
to pull him to his feet. Lee couldn't believe it, his legs felt strengthened  
and were pretty much steady underneath him. He stared in amazement as his  
bonds fell loosely from his hands and feet.   
  
Lee looked up in time to see the 'big guy' motion for him to walk out the   
open cell door. He shrugged his shoulders but obeyed. 'What's going on here?'  
  
The two men walked effortlessly past the cell door and past the motionless  
guard who stood as sentinel. Lee ribbed the tall stranger and nodded toward  
the gunman, "Fell alseep on his feet! A-heh, huh, oh..." Lee raised his  
eyebrows and thought, 'This guy ain't the Good Humor man, is he!'  
  
Lee continued to follow his escort through the labyrinth of corridors until  
they came to an exit. As he walked out into the dark chill of the early  
morning, Lee turned to ask his captor where they were going. That's when  
the stranger suddenly disappeared. Vanished.  
  
"What the?" Lee cautiously looked around. No sign at all of the stranger.  
"Oh-kay..." Lee looked back and didn't see any other movement from the   
building he had just exited so he started running down a well lit path.  
It seemed to lead right into the city.  
  
***   
  
That early morning place where you dwell between dreams and reality. That's  
where Amanda was. She rolled over and flopped her arm around to cuddle with  
her husband when suddenly it hit her. He wasn't there and had never been  
where she was right now.  
  
Amanda shook her head in sorrow and peeked through her sleepy eyes. "Oh yeah",   
she sighed with disappointment in her voice. With a glance around the room,   
the fact that she wasn't home in Arlington hit her full force. Instead, she  
was halfway around the world in Jerusalem and her husband was...She didn't  
want to speculate.  
  
Amanda propped herself up on her elbow and flung the covers back. As she  
swung her legs over the side of the bed, she looked out the window. Black.  
'Must be early' she mused. The sun had not yet risen into the morning sky.  
  
Amanda could see light spilling out into the dark from a window below and  
the smell of coffee brewing wafted through the house so she planted her  
feet on the cool floor and quickly got dressed. As she headed downstairs   
with Bible in hand she considered knocking on Christina's door. 'Nah,  
better let her get some more rest.'  
  
  
***  
  
Aaron looked up from his morning paper and nodded to Amanda as she entered   
the kitchen. 'She sure doesn't look like she got much sleep' he determined.  
Aaron stood up and walked over to the coffee pot to pour Amanda a cup.   
  
"You're doing a Bible study?" Aaron inquired.  
  
"Oh, no. Just devotions" Amanda stated as she gratefully accepted the warm  
cup of java. She followed her host as he led her to a garden patio outside.   
Birds chirped in the dark of the pre-dawn stillness.   
  
Amanda sat down in a rattan patio chair and used the light spilling out from the  
kitchen to start her study. Well, she *tried* to start studying. It  
seemed impossible to concentrate.   
  
'Where's Lee? Where's Harry? How is Christina? What if they *do* find those  
bombs?' Amanda's head was swimming with worry when she heard...  
  
"Bums!" Aaron shook his head in disgust.  
  
Amanda looked up at her host who was now standing at the edge of the patio  
and watching someone stumble down the street. She stood up and followed   
Aaron's gaze. A man in the distance was staggering in their direction.  
  
"Why must they always turn a holy day into a drunken celebration?" Aaron   
bemoaned under his breath. He lifted his hands in frustration before  
sitting back down.  
  
Amanda continued to peer at the approaching man. Aaron was startled when  
she started to run past the yard and down the street. He stood up and   
started to run after her.  
  
"Lee!....Lee!" Amanda shouted with joy as she ran toward her husband.  
  
Lee smiled and wondered how in the world this well lit path could lead right   
to his wife. He knew she wouldn't be at the hotel but this was one in a   
million!  
  
Amanda leaped into her husband's embrace as they met. Lee enfolded his  
wife into his arms he kissed her brow but couldn't tell if she was laughing  
or crying.   
  
Aaron finally caught up to his guest as she embraced this man and uttered,  
"You're, you're not drunk!" Instead of the smell of alcohol, Aaron could see the  
large red welts forming on this man's face. Classic trademark of Hezbollah  
interrogation. Aaron smiled, this must be at least one missing husband   
returned.  
  
Lee looked up as he continued to embrace his wife and nodded his thanks to   
Aaron. "My name's Lee."  
  
"I'm Aaron...Bergman." Aaron nodded.  
  
"How did you find me?" Amanda gushed as she looked up and cupped her husband's  
face in her hands. She could see he had been beaten very badly. She gazed  
into his face and tenderly said, "You're poor nose!"  
  
Lee smiled into his wife's eyes and gestured behind him, "I just followed  
those bright lights all the way here."  
  
Aaron looked past Lee and into the dark and just had to ask, "What lights?"  
  
Lee furrowed his brow and stated what he sure must be obvious. "Those...  
lights." Lee turned around. "There's no...lights! There's no..."  
  
Aaron shrugged. Of course there were no lights. There had never been many  
lights in his neighborhood. 'Must be delerious' Aaron decided as he hooked  
his arm under Lee's shoulder and began to help Amanda's husband back to the   
house.  
  
Amanda peered over her husband's shoulder and thought, "There are no lights...  
hmph..."  
  
Lee *knew* he had followed a very well lit path to this spot so he turned   
around one last time as they assisted him to the house. Nothing. No lights.   
He just couldn't believe it.  
  
  
That's when Lee saw a flash from the corner of his eyes. He glanced over  
and saw a myriad of huge angels lining the path he had just taken. They  
held swords branished and gleaming. *They* had lit his path.  
  
"Oh!" slipped past Lee's lips just before he passed out.   
  
  
Amanda looked at her husband's limp body and was glad she had been a Bedside  
Bluebell all those years ago. 'It's gonna come in handy' she thought as she  
tenderly helped Aaron carry her husband into the kitchen.   
  
***  
  
After a restful day, Lee finally made his way downstairs with Amanda's help.  
He was still sore from the brutal beatings he had received but decided  
that tomorrow would be a good day to get some more work done. Christina had   
graciously done some footwork that day but with no real results.   
  
As Lee and Amanda sat down to dinner next to Christina, Aaron's wife looked up  
and smiled. She could see the telltale glow on the Stetson's faces. 'Nothing  
like that for a speedy recovery!' she mused.  
  
Aaron's family had invited Lee and Amanda and Christina to join them as they  
gathered for the traditional Seder meal. Aaron was beginning to explain the  
symbolic dishes when a neighbor ran in.  
  
"Didn't you hear?" he yelled as everyone stared at him in wonder.  
  
Aaron shook his head and said, "No Hiram, what is it?"  
  
"Hamas just bombed the Park Hotel in Netenya."  
  
Cries erupted as everyone at the table bowed their head to pray. Aaron  
wondered...'Will there ever be peace?'  
  
tbc 


	5. The Lamb

Act 5: The Lamb  
  
  
"Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out  
and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And  
ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason,  
and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason:  
and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning."   
  
Aaron continued his early morning study of the Haggadah when Lee and Amanda  
entered the room. He looked up and said, "Shalom!" Aaron gazed intently  
at Lee's face and noticed the welts on his face were healing. "That extra   
day of rest has done you good!"  
  
Lee shook his head in agreement as he put his arm around Amanda's shoulders.  
"We would like to thank you Aaron for your hospitality..."  
  
"Oy!" Aaron replied, "It's nothing! Stay! Stay! My family will do all we  
can to protect you from the Hezbollah. We know all too well the terror.  
I just hope that your friend finds her husband."  
  
"Yeah," Lee agreed, "In fact, Amanda and I are on our way..." Lee stopped as  
he saw Christina walk down the stairs to join them. "Oh, hi!"  
  
Christina echoed Lee's greeting as she reached the last step. "Good morning  
everyone." It was obvious she was putting on a good show of bravery. All  
could see, she wasn't getting enough sleep.  
  
Amanda walked over to grab Christina's hands in her own, "Lee and I will be   
right back. We're just running over to the hotel to get our things."  
  
"Be careful!" Aaron chimed in, "It'll be busy. Today's Good Friday."  
  
***  
  
Lee looked down at Amanda from his position in the stairwell of the hotel.  
He motioned to his wife that the coast was clear. She stepped behind him  
and gently put her hand on his back as they crept out the door into the  
hallway.  
  
As they quietly walked down the hall to their room, Lee heard a soft   
crash. He nodded at Amanda and motioned for her to stand to the side of the  
door. Amanda nodded silently as she thrust her shoulders and back against   
the wall.  
  
No gunfire erupted as Lee opened the door to their room. He relaxed   
slightly. Everything seemed okay. Just as Lee was about to open the door  
wide, a man in a black hooded jacket burst out of their room and tackled him.  
  
Amanda watched in shock as Lee struggled to contain his attacker with a   
wrestling hold. Just then, a maid came off the elevator, which was located  
across the hall from their room. She accidently pinned Lee's foot with her  
cart so the intruder was able to break away from Lee's grasp. The poor  
frightened woman gasped in terror as they watched the intruder flee down  
the hall and race toward the stairwell.  
  
Everything had happened so fast, Amanda didn't have time to react. Her eyes  
widened as she watched as the maid hastily shove her cart back into the   
elevator and close the door. Lee was left staring up at his wife from his  
position on the floor.   
  
"Are you okay?" Amanda asked and smiled weakly at her husband as she offered  
her hand to help him to his feet. She glanced over toward their room and  
could see overturned furniture and pilphered through suitcases through the  
open door.  
  
Lee brushed off his pants and sighed. With an urgent tone, he said "We   
better go." He firmly placed his hand at the small of his wife's back and  
guided her toward the elevator. "I've seen that guy before."  
  
"Hmm?" Amanda inquired as she tried to hide the fear in her voice.  
  
"He was one of those Hezbollah 'interrogators' I had the pleasure of meeting  
the other night", Lee said sarcastically. "They must think we're getting  
close. Seems like it's time we put Doogie's map of old town Jerusalem to  
good use." Lee patted the map in his breast pocket.   
  
  
***  
  
The cabbie drove through the Japha gate and dropped Lee and Amanda off at  
their destination in Old Town. Lee tipped the cabbie before assisting his  
wife out of the cab. He looked at Doogie's map and pointed toward an alley  
now lined with people. "Amanda, I think this is near where Doogie made the  
drop."  
  
Amanda nodded as she took her husband's arm. Lee looked down and squeezed  
his wife's hand. He wasn't going to let anything seperate them this time if   
he could help it.  
  
They began to walk through the crowd when Lee noticed that people seemed to   
be lined up on either side of the street. Before he had a chance to wonder  
why, he spotted a familiar black hooded jacket across the way. Lee released   
Amanda's hand and shouted "Stay here!" as he ran off after the man they had  
seen at the hotel.  
  
Amanda watched her husband leap after their attacker and was tempted to rush  
after them. "No. Better not." she told herself, "I remember what Lee said.  
Stay here." Amanda grimaced in disappointment as she reluctantly backed up  
against the wall. She looked longingly after her husband as he continued to  
pursue their man. As she leaned back, she didn't realize that her body obscured  
the tiled street sign. It said 'via dolorosa'.  
  
Lee continued to push his way through the thickening crowd. He was almost upon  
the man in black when a passerby innocently bumped into him and pushed him  
in the way of an approaching throng. Lee watched the hooded figure run away   
from where he lay in the dirt.  
  
As he scrambled to his feet, Lee looked up and gasped. A man carrying a cross  
was approaching him. The man with the cross looked over at Lee with surprise.  
The two men stared at each other for a moment. Suddenly, a zealous onlooker  
yelled "You! Carry his cross!"  
  
Lee looked up. The real actor playing Simon of Cyrene was rushing to get into   
position before it was too late. The "soldiers" were about to place the cross  
on Lee's shoulder just as 'Simon' slid into place. Lee nodded respectfully   
as he stepped away and then broke into a run to pursue his attacker As he  
ran, he pondered the devotional he and Amanda had had this morning...  
  
"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is  
brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is   
dumb, so he opened not his mouth." Isaiah 53:7  
  
  
tbc 


	6. Burning Ray Revealed

Act 6: Burning Ray Revealed  
  
"I was as a gem concealed;  
Me my burning ray revealed."  
Quran.  
  
  
  
  
Amanda couldn't take it any more. The Passion play had proceded past her   
several minutes ago and Lee had not yet returned so she left her position by  
the wall and shouldered her way through the crowd. Words from the 18th Psalm   
filled her thoughts as she searched after her husband...  
  
"For who is God but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?....  
The God who girds me with strength...  
He makes my feet like hinds' feet....  
He trains my hands for battle..."  
  
Her heart was racing as she breathlessly followed after the two men. From  
her position, she could tell that the man in the black hooded sweatshirt had  
not yet noticed Lee as they raced through the crowded streets. Lee was  
quickly closing in on the malefactor when the man turned right unto King  
Fasisal Street and disappeared into a throng of people headed toward Haram  
Esh-Sharif.   
  
That glittering gem, the Dome of the Rock, loomed over the city from its  
position on the Temple Mount up ahead. Many residents walked along the road  
to attend Friday prayers at the El-Aqsa mosque. Amanda was finally catching  
up to Lee as she saw him look over the heads of the crowd in an attempt to  
find the man in black.  
  
"Lee!" Amanda yelled out, "Lee!"  
  
Lee stopped in his tracts. "No..that can't be who I think it is.." he hoped  
as he turned his head. "Oh, no" he said as he saw his wife run up behind him.  
Exasperated, he said, "Amanda! I thought I told you to stay put!"  
  
Amanda looked squarely into her husband's eyes and said, "Lee, you know you  
shouldn't run off without assistance! Anyway, who's gonna watch your back,  
huh?"  
  
Lee looked heavenward and did his best not to lecture. He grabbed his wife's   
hand. "C'mon Amanda! I think he's headed for the Dome."  
  
Amanda nodded her head in satisfaction. She hadn't come half way round the   
world to prop up a wall! She held Lee's hand tighter as they approached   
the Chain Gate.   
  
Lee paid for their tickets granting them entrance to the Dome of the Rock.   
As they walked along the esplanade, Lee spotted the man in black washing his  
feet at the El-Kas Fountain. 'What a shame that a few extremists can give  
a black eye to an entire group' Lee thought as they approached the man.  
  
The man in black stood up and started to walk toward the Dome but was cut   
short when Israeli law enforcement burst unto the scene. Lee heard several  
youths cheer as someone said that people standing at the Moor's gate were  
throwing rocks over the Western Wall. Amid the confusion of police and   
passersby, Lee continued to guide Amanda after their man. That's when he   
saw his mentor.  
  
Lee watched as a worse-for-the-wear Harry was manhandled through the entrance  
of the Dome. Lee now wondered if these Hezbolah extremists had started the  
rock throwing incident as a diversion from what was about to take place.   
  
Lee and Amanda went unnoticed in the large crowd as they sprinted up the steps  
toward the Dome, past the qanatir, and stepped inside the Dome. "Stay with  
me." Lee ordered as they followed Harry and his kidnappers down into the   
bowels of the Dome.   
  
This was the place where it was rumored that Abraham went to sacrifice Issac.  
Where Muhammad left the Earth on his Night Journey, and where the western   
allies supposedly hid a few small nuclear warheads in the 1950's.  
  
Lee could hear Mosama maliciously deride Harry. "Are we at the right spot  
old man? We have your wife you know..."  
  
Lee winced as he heard the brute lie to his friend.  
  
Mosama continued, "We're going to kill your precious wife if you don't help  
us. Now, where is the vault?"  
  
Lee shook his head and uttered "There's no vault pal!" under his breath.   
He motioned for Amanda to come beside him as they crouched behind a boulder  
and watched the scene play out before them. Lee whispered, "Amanda, I need  
you to go over to the El-Aqsa and tell the Israeli authorities that we need  
their help. This is *more* than an issue of National Security."  
  
Amanda squeezed Lee's arm and kissed his cheek as she whispered back, "Okay.  
I'll be right back. I love you." Love, respect, and honor for her husband  
shined in her eyes.  
  
Lee smiled at his wife. Knowing that she loved him and supported his   
decisions did more for his heart than she could ever know. "I love you too,  
be careful" he whispered tenderly as watched Amanda slink back up the Well   
of Souls to the inner ambulatory above. He then turned his attention to the  
situation at hand.   
  
He could hear Harry say, "Look, there's *no* warheads buried under here, unh!"  
Harry doubled over as an extremist punched him in the stomach. Lee wanted so  
badly to jump in and apprehend Harry's attackers. 'There's just too many of   
them' Lee surmised.  
  
"Look old man! We've played enough games!" Mosama bellowed, "*Show* me   
where the bombs are!"  
  
Harry shook his head slowly and wiped his face with his hand as he nodded  
over to a particular cave under the Dome. "It's over there."   
  
Mosama grinned venomously and motioned for his men to start drilling through   
the stone. The worshippers above were too far away to hear the underground  
rumblings.  
  
Lee knew there weren't any warheads and he knew that as soon as Mosama found  
that out too, Harry was as good as dead. "I hope they hurry!" he murmured as  
he waited for Amanda to return with the Israeli authorities.  
  
Mosama gave a shout of glee as his men broke through the cave wall into a   
hidden compartment. Lee was shocked! 'Nah, couldn't be...real? Even if  
there were warheads hidden here, Harry would never...' Lee shook his head in  
an effort to regain his focus. He watched Mosama and his men brush past   
Harry and fill the once concealed room.   
  
Mosama picked up a very dusty suitcase sized container. Harry leaped out of  
the way as the terrorist leader opened the box. A small bomb went off,   
causing a small avalanche of rock to collapse upon the cave. Mosama and his  
men were buried alive under the rubble. Moans could be heard coming from  
his wounded men.  
  
Lee ran up to Harry and yelled, "Booby trapped! Harry! There *are* warheads  
somewhere down here?"  
  
Harry looked like a cat who swallowed a canary as he turned, stone-faced, away   
from Lee and said, "It's about time you showed up."  
  
Tag comin'! 


	7. Tag: Sonrise

Tag: Sonrise  
  
  
  
"Woo!" Amanda squeeled as her feet hit the bone-chiling water.  
  
Lee laughed as he came in behind her, "Woohoo! This *is* cold!"  
  
Amanda looked over her shoulder and waited for her husband to come  
up by her side. They were both wearing white linen robes. Lee grabbed   
his wife's hand as they waded through the flowing water of the River Jordan  
and made their way toward the awaiting pastor.  
  
The pastor nodded a greeting to the couple before he asked them, "Lee  
and Amanda, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?"  
  
They said "Yes" in unity.  
  
Two deacons came up alongside Lee and Amanda to assist the pastor in their  
baptism ceremony. Harry, Christina, and Aaron waved as they watched from  
the shore.  
  
As the deacons immersed Lee and Amanda, the crowd gathered heard the pastor  
say, "We are buried with Him by baptism into death, knowing that our old man  
is crucified with Him that the body of sin might be destroyed. If we have  
been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall also in the   
likeness of His resurrection."  
  
Lee and Amanda both emerged from the water, smiling, as the pastor continued,  
"Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath  
no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but  
in that He liveth, He liveth unto God."  
  
The pastor's peircing eyes peered into the faces of the couple before him as   
he charged them, "Likewise, Lee and Amanda, reckon yourself to be dead indeed  
unto sin, but *alive* unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Happy Easter."  
  
  
Lee and Amanda broke out into bittersweet praise. They rejoiced in their  
new found faith but mourned the events of the past week in Israel. They   
knew Jerusalem would never have true peace until her King returned.  
  
  
  
  
the end  
  
Happy Resurrection Day! 


End file.
